Internet search is only half of the equation. Many times, you simply want to return to a site you had previously found. Managing bookmarks and favorites has long been a less-than-satisfying experience. Why is this simple concept so difficult in practice? In this episode, co-hosts Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell discuss recent developments in bookmark management, different approaches and tools you might try, and directions, like social bookmarking, in which we might be headed.

I’ve been looking, unsuccessfully, for a great bookmarking solution ever since I started using browsers a zillion years ago. In many ways, my first website was an attempt to make my bookmarks (or, as they are known in the Internet Explorer world, “favorites”) portable and accessible from anywhere.

I’ve had partial successes from time to time, but lately I find that bookmark management has become more difficult and more complicated than ever.

In this episode, Tom and I look at the current difficulties and possible solutions, the methods we each have tried and now use, and tentatively suggest some directions that look promising.

I’ve been surprised recently by several people who asked me about what social bookmarking tool I use. I’ve tried quite a few and failed at all of them. Tom and I have tried several just in connection with sharing links for our podcast and we’ve gradually drifted away from each of them.

Despite my pessimistic attitude, Tom and I dove right in to the topic and covered a lot of ground.

We highlighted three developments that have had a big impact on bookmark management: (1) Using multiple browsers or changing browsers, (2) Xmarks and the risks of online bookmark management tools, and (3) perhaps most important, the growing use of social media and mobile devices to share links.

In an interesting way, we’re moving back to early web concepts – trusted resources, curation, lists of links, and link blogs. And it all relates to personal knowledge management concepts.

In our “stuff Tom and I have been talking about” segment, we discuss Jim Hammond’s recent post A Complete Guide to Dealing with e-Junk, which is both a good example of a blog post that serves as a curated list of useful links and a great resource on the topic of disposing of outdated technology.

Dennis Kennedy

DennisKennedy.Blog was launched on February 15, 2003.

Dennis Kennedy is one of the few technology lawyers who is also an expert on the underlying technologies. Dennis an award-winning leader in the application of technology and the Internet to the practice of law.

This site gives you access to a wide variety of Dennis Kennedy's writings and information about how you can have Dennis speak to your organization or group.

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Dennis Kennedy is one of the most knowledgeable legal technologists you will find. - Michael Arkfeld.

Dennis Kennedy, a lawyer and legal technology expert in St. Louis, Mo., has been a significant influence in the ever-evolving relationship between lawyers and the Web. - Robert Ambrogi